the time is now (haven't you noticed?)
by duskks
Summary: It's almost like seeing a ghost, really; wisps of blonde hair, black leather, a mask and all. ; Helena-centric. Laurel-heavy. laurel/ted. bruce wayne.


Disclaimer: I don't own anything, everything belongs to its respective owners. This is the work and play of fan fiction. (a/n at the end)

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**the time is now (haven't you noticed?)**

* * *

It's almost like seeing a ghost, really; wisps of blonde hair, black leather, a mask and all.

Helena remembers perfectly well the last time she saw the woman in question. Except it can't be the same person. With further inspection she notices that _this_ woman is slightly taller, leaner, and her moves aren't as fluid like the assassin she remembers. Her fighting skill is more abrasive, and the fact that she has no problem getting up close and personal with the perpetrator shows that her form is clearly rooted in a close-combat style.

There's something so similar about the woman's moves that give Helena pause, though. It's like she's seen them before, or to be more specific seen someone else with a similar fighting style. She just can't recall where or who at the moment.

She's about to make her presence known to the woman when someone steps up next to her. He's cast in shadows but she knows perfectly well who it is. The low timbre the distorter gives his voice never fails to make her shiver, "You know her?" he asks.

Helena shrugs, "Vaguely, she looks familiar but it can't be the person I encountered a few years ago. That person is dead, plus even if she isn't, this woman's style is very different from what I remember. Although, her moves are very familiar in a different sense, I just can't place them."

"That they are," the man grumbles.

Then, it all clicks into place and Helena can't help but smirk.

"She almost fights like you, you know, if not better," she comments as she watches the other woman dodge a few hits and take down another big fellow with a swift kick.

He's glaring at her, she can feel the intensity of it but she's enjoying this too much to really care.

She turns to him and her smirk widens before she steps out of the shadows and falls in line with the masked woman.

**. . .**

Helena watches as the other woman wipes blood from her chin with the back of her hand and approaches her.

"I guess thanks are in order… Huntress," the blonde says and extends her other hand.

Helena doesn't put too much thought at the name she picked years ago and simply shakes her hand firmly.

"Don't get used to it," she responds, earning her a smirk from the woman whose name she still doesn't know.

"Are you girlfriends done?" says the distorted voice traveling from behind her, while putting down an unconscious man on the floor in front of them. From the looks of it he must've tried to get away. Helena rolls her eyes, looks over her shoulder and lets go of the blonde's hand. She doesn't miss the smirk falling off of the other woman's face and watches as she shifts her body into a defensive stance.

"Enjoy the show?" she counters and swings around to stare at him completely as he steps closer into the light and further from the shadows.

His frown deepens if possible and she watches as the other woman strides up to him with purpose and lands a left hook right on his face.

"That's for leaving me to clean up your mess last week," the blonde woman says before strutting away.

Helena raises an eyebrow at him.

"Don't," he warns, bringing up his hand to rub his jaw.

She shrugs and goes off after the blonde.

"Wait!" She yells, catching her before she gets on her motorbike.

The other masked woman turns and raises her hands.

"Look your new friend over there is a jackass. He deserves—"

"I'm sure he does and probably deserves worse but, he's not my friend. Hell, I'd hardly consider us acquaintances, if anything we barely tolerate one another," she clears up, still unsure how the woman knows of her new partnership with the caped crusader.

The masked woman visibly relaxes and snorts, "sounds about right when it comes to partnering up with him."

Helena can't help herself and asks, "You're The Canary, right? I remember you from Star City a few years ago, you got me arrested if I recall," trying to figure out who she really is.

She snorts again and shakes her head.

"If _I_ remember correctly, you got yourself arrested. But no, she's dead. I'm the Black Canary."

Well that's interesting. She'd heard the name before but never put two and two together until now. It's not like she stuck around Star City after her release, just heard stories through the vigilante grapevine.

"You've worked with him before haven't you, with Batman? Codename: BC?"

"We partner up— if you can even call it that—, on certain occasions," the Black Canary confirms, throwing her leg over her bike to straddle it.

"Look, I have to go but I'm in town for a few more weeks, guess I'll be seeing you around, Huntress," she continues before revving up the engine and taking off.

Helena turns around and starts heading back to where she left Batman, a wicked smile plays on her lips as she remembers what went down a few instances ago. She can't wait to ask him how his jaw is doing considering the loud crack the Black Canary's fist made when it came to contact with his face. She can already imagine his grumpy demeanor and temper tantrums.

Oh yeah, she's definitely going to enjoy having the Black Canary in Gotham City for a few weeks.

**. . .**

Helena hates big fancy parties the rich and entitled throw, the fakeness that sets in the atmosphere when a bunch of wealthy folks get together to pretend to care makes her nauseous. It reminds her too much of her old life and if it were up to her she wouldn't be here, but she promised Bruce she'd show up in support.

So she's stuck watching as he takes rounds around the floor smiling, shaking hands and occasionally winking at older women trying to charm them. He's good, _very _good she realizes and laughs when an older woman slips her hand to squeeze his bum.

It's when he approaches a familiar couple, — well, only half familiar couple, she doesn't recognize the guy but she definitely recognizes the woman, — that she decides to join him.

They're laughing about something when she reaches them. The woman is the first to notice her and sobers up immediately.

"Helena, is that you?" she questions surprised.

"Laurel, it's nice to see you again."

"Dinah," she says. Helena blinks in confusion.

"I go by my first name, Dinah, now," she supplies.

"Ah," she says.

"This is Ted Grant," Laurel offers, introducing her to the man standing beside her.

"Nice to meet you," Helena smiles, takes his extended hand and shakes it.

"You, as well," he replies.

They stand in silence for a few moments and things should be awkward she muses but, there's just a warm atmosphere around the four of them. Laurel is nothing but nice and welcoming to her, and it feels like the first time she met her. Even during Helena's darkest moment she had tried to reach her. It was a kindness Helena's never been able to forget, even if at that time she'd thought it to be pity from the other woman.

"Seems that you know your fair share of billionaires, Lau— I mean Dinah." It comes off cattier than she intended and internally winces.

Laurel only laughs, "I'm not the only one apparently."

"Touché." Helena smiles, thankful it wasn't interpreted the wrong way. She's still working on her social skills after getting released from prison a few months ago.

"How do you two know each other?" she questions.

"Through Ted," informs Bruce.

"He's a world champion boxer, and has a few gyms across the country that offer training. Dinah and I had some training classes together," he continues.

"Basically, he needed to get his ass handed to him a few times and Dinah is the only one who doesn't care that he's multi-billionaire, Bruce Wayne," says Ted grinning.

"You wound me Theodore."

Bruce pouts dramatically and Laurel giggles.

Helena watches with amusement as the two men bicker back and forth with one another. She catches Laurel's gaze and both women share a laugh.

They interact for a moment longer before they're all pulled away by their ringing cellphones, —she'll chalk it up to coincidence and the fact that it's trouble that's pulling her away, but this moment won't make sense to her until much later that night.

All four make excuses about having an emergency to attend to and go their separate ways.

**. . .**

It isn't until she watches Batman and the Black Canary fighting side by side later that evening that the bigger picture comes to light.

She shakes her head and laughs softly to herself for missing the clues. She watches them a little longer before joining back in on the fight.

Helena lands a kick and takes down a guy when she turns into another thug. She steps back as he launches for her but he only lands in front of her passed out. Black Canary stands where he used to be and says, through a smirk, "don't get used to it."

She only chuckles and watches as Black Canary turns and runs to take down the man trying to sneak up on Batman. She shakes her head and can't help but wonder if they're aware whom the other really is.

That's going to be fun to see play out she thinks.

She scrutinizes Laurel a little more and wonders what drove her to becoming the Black Canary and Helena doesn't doubt that it had something to do with the Canary's death. There's obviously something more there than meets the eye but that's a truth that belongs to Laurel Lance, and only her. She knows from experience what a catalyst death can be.

Helena has always thought that there's something admirable about Laurel and this only further proves that. The world needs more people like her, someone with a light willing to fight for justice, because what she's learned in the little time she's spent with her over the past few years is that she's not like Helena, or like Oliver, no where near as dark as Batman or as deadly vengeful like the Canary was. No, Laurel Lance is a league of her own. Someone that can truly inspire in a way no other can, well except the scarlet speedster she's heard Batman talk about that resides in Central City.

She shakes her head a little, "Dinah Laurel Lance, always trying to save the world," she murmurs to herself and joins the other two.

"Took you long enough," Black Canary teases before head butting the guy that grabs her and just as quickly releases her when impact is made.

Huntress only snorts and thinks that she could get used to fighting side by side with her.

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A/n: 'cause who really needs Oliver lbr. XP lol jk. No, but for real I hope ya'll enjoyed this! I had so much writing this little story and there's just so many headcanons I have centering around it. Thanks for reading darlings! :)


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